1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming method using a wet-type fixing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, in order to prevent global warming, it has been increasingly required to save energy in image forming devices such as printers and copying machines.
Conventionally, in an electrophotographic image forming method, as a method of fixing toner to an image support, a heating fixing system using a heating pressure roller and the like is adopted.
However, since, in the fixing method using the heating fixing system described above, the toner is allowed to adhere and fixed to the image support by being deformed, a large amount of energy is required. Hence, in recent years, it has been thought that it is difficult to meet the request of energy saving required for preventing global warming.
Moreover, as a fixing method for energy saving, a wet-type fixing system is proposed of swelling or partially dissolving toner to fix it to an image support with a fixing agent.
For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a method of using a fixing agent containing a high-boiling ester in the form of bubbles and thereby fixing toner to an image support.
In the method described above, since a commercially available toner is used, and the affinity between a softening agent contained in the fixing agent and the toner is not examined, it is disadvantageously impossible to obtain a sufficient fixing strength of a formed image. In addition, after the supply of the fixing agent, the softening agent that is left and derived from the fixing agent disadvantageously causes a document offset phenomenon.